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Government to notify welfare schemes for the disabled students by October - Volume 2 Issue 16: Disability News and Information Service for India

Government to notify welfare schemes for the disabled students by October

DNIS News Network - Welfare schemes for disabled students across the country
are about to be provided by the Central government, nearly eight years after
the passing of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection
of Rights and Full Participation) Act in 1995.

Delhi High Court received the news from the government as it was hearing a
PIL filed by lawyer group Social Jurist. The PIL alleges that the centre and
the Delhi government have not yet implemented welfare programmes for disabled
students. The court expressed its concern over the government's inaction.

Citing a government letter, counsel Ashok Agarwal said that less than 1 per
cent of disabled children in the country had access to education. According
to Social Jurist, about 6,000 disabled children go to school in the capital
but most of them drop out due to the lack of incentives from the government.

On February 19 last year, a division bench comprising of Chief Justice B.C.
Patel and Justice B.D. Ahmed, issued notices to the centre and Delhi government
on this issue. It was surprised to hear that the schemes under section 30 of
the Act were yet to be formulated, even after such a long period. The matter
will now be heard on November 10.

According to the Disabilities Act, the government has an obligation to frame
welfare policies for students with disabilities including transport facilities,
the removal of architectural barriers, the supply of books, uniforms and other
study material, provision of scholarships and the setting up of systems to redress
any grievances.

Other provisions in the act include providing scribes for blind students and
restructuring the curriculum to allow students with hearing impairments to study
only one language.

Additional Solicitor General, P.P. Malhotra informed the Court that the government
was in the process of formulating the schemes under the Act and it will be notified
in the official gazette within three months.